Short-Term Vacation Rentals

We Want To Hear From You:Short-Term Rental Regulation Review

City Council adopted Nelson’s first regulations and licence system for short-term rentals in 2016. At the time, Council also committed to reviewing the short-term rental regulations in June 2018 to consider how they are working for the community so far.

Short-Term Rental Regulations

Commonly referred to as “Airbnb”, “home sharing”, or “vacation rental”, short-term rental (STR) refers to the commercial accommodation of guests in a private residence – a room, apartment, secondary suite, or house – on a temporary basis (31 days or less). The type of business licence required depends on the zoning of the property in question. You can confirm the zoning your property is subject to using the City of Nelson’s Interactive Zoning Map.

If you are operating a short-term vacation rental within a residential zone (R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, MU2, MU3, MU4, CD1, CD6) you must have a ‘short-term rental’ business licence. This licence must be renewed annually and can be obtained from City Hall at Development Services (2nd floor). Please use the following application form.

If you are operating a short-term vacation rental within a commercial zone (C1), you must have a business licence as a ‘tourist accommodation’. This licence must be renewed annually and can be obtained from City Hall customer service representatives (first floor). For a short-term rental in a commercial zone, please use the following business licence application form.

Non-compliance with zoning or the lack of a business licence can result in a fine of $500 per day.

Please consult the Complaintspage regarding any STR-related complaints or issues.